Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides.
Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on
the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will need to join the MOA before you can post: click this register link to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

Washing question: F800 seat

Seat on my new F800ST appears to be a vinyl material. So...when I wash the bike, it's OK to wash the seat, too...right? What about long term preservation...any treatment needed? I can't imagine putting anything on the seat that might cause it to become slick...

There's your first problem. You don't wash it, you ride it. Seriously, I don't think washing your seat will hurt it. It is designed to be out in the weather. I have never done anything to my BMW seats other than wash them with the same soap I'm washing the bike with. I'm not sure what that material is, but it is not leather.

Glad you brought this up though, because I just sent my seats off the Rick Mayer to be redone - in leather. So I will now have to care for them a little differently. And I hadn't thought of that until just now.

Thanks. Washed it with car wash soap...same as used on the bike. Did wonder if some water might soak through into the cushion material underneath. Might want to limit how much water I use, to prevent any problems with the cushioning material. Thoughts?

Did wonder if some water might soak through into the cushion material underneath. Might want to limit how much water I use, to prevent any problems with the cushioning material. Thoughts?

I don't remember any seams on the top of a ST seat, so water getting to the foam will not be a problem.
Back in the 80s I had a Russel Day Long seat with a lot of stitching on topside and water would soak into the foam. With that seat I had to use a seat cover when riding in the rain or washing the bike.

Water is plenty fine, especially if painted parts are waxed ... as they should be.

Wash anything painted with a soft-bristle brush, i.e. don't rub the dirt into the paint, making your cloth or similar just like sandpaper.

If I go for a day ride and just want to get the bugs off the front of the bike, I'll use a soft bristle finish brush while running water over the fairing.
If the bike is really dirty, like it would be from riding in the rain all day on dirty roads, I want car wash soap to help lift the dirt and also slick thing up so the dirt does not scratch the paint.

Flyrider, make sure you use car wash soap if you like to wax your bike. Dish soap will remove the wax.

If I go for a day ride and just want to get the bugs off the front of the bike, I'll use a soft bristle finish brush while running water over the fairing.
If the bike is really dirty, like it would be from riding in the rain all day on dirty roads, I want car wash soap to help lift the dirt and also slick thing up so the dirt does not scratch the paint.

Flyrider, make sure you use car wash soap if you like to wax your bike. Dish soap will remove the wax.

Regarding the seat, when I washed the bike I noted that water doesn't really bead and roll off completely from the seat, indicating some water might be absorbed. I'm thinking of just wiping down the seat after rides with damp cloth and covering it when washing the bike. Just a thought...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe car soap is fine for any automobile painted surface. It is dishwashing soap that has "very fine" particles in it which can damage painted surfaces. At least thats what I read years ago - long before there was the Internet. Now if I had read it on the Internet, I know it would be true for sure.

Seat care

Hey flyrider. I have the stock seat, a Corbin Seat and a Sargent Seat for my F800st. I use ICE-Total interior clean by Turtle Wax and I swear by the stuff. I've used it on all 3 seats and I'm shocked how good the seats look without that greasy film or too glossy of a finish. The Corbin Seat had a dull/dirty look to it. I used the ICE with a micro cloth and you couldn't tell the difference from new. You can pick the stuff up just about anywhere....I got mine at Menards. Hope this helps.

Hey flyrider. I have the stock seat, a Corbin Seat and a Sargent Seat for my F800st. I use ICE-Total interior clean by Turtle Wax and I swear by the stuff. I've used it on all 3 seats and I'm shocked how good the seats look without that greasy film or too glossy of a finish. The Corbin Seat had a dull/dirty look to it. I used the ICE with a micro cloth and you couldn't tell the difference from new. You can pick the stuff up just about anywhere....I got mine at Menards. Hope this helps.